Vecchio resigns from Chariho School Committee

WOOD RIVER JUNCTION - Richard Vecchio, formerly of the Chariho School Committee, has resigned. In a letter sent to the Hopkinton Town Council last week, Vecchio outlined his reasons for his decision.

“It is simply because I have lost all respect for my fellow committee members,” the letter reads. “Most are wrought with conflicts of interest and are self serving. This is a fact. I now understand why many good and well intentioned people don’t bother getting involved in public service.”

“However,” it continues, “I am confident that the school district is in good hands with Barry Ricci and Carol Blanchette at the helm.”
Ricci is the superintendent of the district and Blanchette is the assistant superintendent.

Vecchio’s last meeting was on Jan. 10. At that meeting, the council voted to implement a calendar for the 2012-13 school year consistent to what has become the normality, as opposed to a different school calendar that Vecchio had previously introduced to the council.

Vecchio’s new calendar idea consolidated two week-long vacations during the second half of the year to one week-long vacation, and had the school year end a week earlier. Many teachers came out to that meeting to oppose Vecchio’s proposed calendar.

“That was not the reason I resigned,” Vecchio said, “but it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“I think from his perspective, he didn’t feel supported by the committee,” said Supt. Ricci, “and that was the icing on the cake.”

Most teachers that spoke at the Jan. 10 meeting cited a longer span of time between December and March without a break, making new arrangements with children, and a longer summer which could lead to a lower learning retention rate, as reasons for opposition to the new calendar idea.
Vechhio resigned the next week.